My Lost Indoor Cat

Question
Please bare with me as i explain the circumstances involving my missing indoor cat. My husband and i have owned Rusty since he was 3 weeks old he is now 12 years of age and has had little or no outdoor experience (7 or 8 years ago he managed to escape 3 times , but not for more than 3 to 4 days) and not from the home we're currently living in for the  past 10 months. on 9/6/09/ when we were not at home,my nephew briefly opened the front door and Rusty escaped.Let me state here that i have been to every website imaginable regarding missing cat behavior and while i've gained a lot of helpful information as to where my cat may be hiding and what a skittish cat does when doing so, Rusty's behavior does not seem to fit the usual pattern of an indoor cat. In the first place, Rusty "did" return the following day after he escaped, but as soon as the front door opened ,he dashed off and was gone. the folowing night as i was outside searching for him, i heard him meow just once and i could not tell just where the sound was coming from, but it was very close to my home. 3 days later ,once again, but much louder this time i heard the "one" meow that sounded like it was coming from right behind me, but again i saw nothing and the meows did not continue. Then for one full  week nothing,the only sign that he might still be around was that we always put his food out on our porch and each and every time the food would be gone,but no Rusty. (We put baking soda right next to his carrier and the tiny footprints left were definitely cat prints) to make a very long story short,we are now hearing the meows again (i know this is my cat) sometinmes loud but, mostly from a short distance away.but when we approach where the sounds are coming from, they stop and you can hear him running  away.i've tryed using the trap , but with no luck(Rusty has always hated any type of cage)but the food on the porch is always eaten and last night was no exception. i even saw some of his shedded fur inside his carrier, As you can imagine i am beside myself wondering how i can possibly get him back  and heartbroken as to why he will not come home, as i imagine, he has come out of hiding and is not afraid to come and eat. this is a very loved and very pampered pet who we need back home. I sincerely hope that you can provide me with some insight as to what may be happening with him and ghow i can get my precious Rusty back home. Thank you,

Answer
Marie,

I'm sorry to say that your cat has his age against him. He is almost 64 years old in human years and at that age he can develop a form of Kitty Alzheimer's. They can act in a bizarre manner, which can include forgetting where he lives. A cat with Alzheimer's will display similar symptoms as an elderly person with it. Here is a good link with more information:
(copy and paste the whole link into your address bar)
http://cat-care.suite101.com/article.cfm/does_your_cat_have_alzheimers

It is possible that it is your cat eating the food, but sad to say it is more than likely a "creature of the night" cat, like a feral cat or wild cat. That same cat may what you hear running away. I don't want to sound disheartening, but I feel it's right to tell you the possibilities. I am praying that your cat will safely come home and be happy and healthy, but there is a possibility that your cat may be laying injured nearby, or may have had a health issue, like a heart attack or stroke. I would check every inch of ground nearby, and all nooks and crannies. Can you get under your house or porch?

If Rusty was a young cat I would say that he is where he wants to be, and when he gets bored with whatever was fascinating him he would come home. But considering your cat's age, even though he is not THAT old, I'm afraid that is is not a behavioral issue. I think if he could come home (mentally or physically) that he would.

Do NOT ever give up hope until you know for sure. I recently had a person who lost an 11 year old cat and found him after 5 years due to a microchip. The cat was being held in an apartment building and the cat escaped by jumping out a 4th floor window onto a tree! And they got him back. That story is rare, but miracle do happen! Your problem is not anything like that, but the fact a miracle can happen is.

PLEASE keep me posted. And look very carefully for him, especially in places you wouldn't expect him to be. Check any containers he could have fallen into, under any trees he could have fallen out of, check any fencing or wiring that he could have gotten tangled up in. Check your roof, and your attic if you have one, ledges up high, trees branches, possible holes in the ground he could have accidently fallen into that you weren't aware of, etc.

I'm sorry I can't give you an amazing trick that will instantly make him return home. The only thing I can give you is my prayers, and hope that you find him.

Tabbi